Current Stage - December 2009

The Advanced Digital Institute (ADI)

As well as leading on the £1.5 million Tele-health consultation system, which will give patients a link via TV's in their homes to doctors and healthcare professionals, the ADI is working on a business incubation project to help business growth in Airedale.

Bingley Business Technology Park

The development of the site remains a priority for the Airedale Partnership and is being looked at in the context of the wider issues in Bingley.

Keighley Station

Further discussions are taking place with key stakeholders to help inform the next steps in taking the regeneration and options of the station forward.


North Street Hotel Keighley

The feasibility study on the options for the future use of former Keighley College buildings on Cavendish St / North St has been completed. An agent is to be appointed to promote the site in line with the vision in the original masterplan of a high quality mixed use development with a leisure focus. The site will be marketed shortly.

Connecting Airedale

£4.5m has now been secured for the first phase of the connecting Airedale package to be invested in improvements to the Saltaire roundabout junction and the public transport corridor between the roundabout and the Bingley relief Rd. Work continues on identifying further funding opportunities for further elements of the Connecting Airedale Programme.

Other Developments

The autumn period also saw a number of other successes for the masterplan. Bingley's 5Rise shopping centre has been completed and was officially opened by chief executive of the Co-operative Group Peter Marks and local Councillor Robin Owens on 3rd December. The ceremony was attended by business and Council leaders, including the Managing Director of developer 4Urban. The shopping centre includes a new library and branches of Superdrug, Boots, NatWest, Greggs, Timpsons, Klick, Betfred and a 11,500 sqft Co-operative food shop. Home Bargains also opened in time for Christmas.

Work to refurbish Central hall in Alice St , Keighley has also started. The work is expected to be completed by summer next year. The scheme is expected to be completed by late next summer and is being funded by a £1 million grant through the Government's Community Assets Fund and a further £650,000 from Bradford Council. When completed, the centre will act as neutral facility for the town. Keighley Citizens Advice Bureau and Keighley Voluntary Service will take up space in the centre when completed. Progress on the redevelopment can be seen in a series of videos available at: www.buildingcommunity.org.uk/keighley-central-hall

The Dockfield Rd business forum was held in November and was a chance for businesses local to the area to find out about regeneration plans for the Dockfield Rd area. Speakers at the event included Trevor Higgins from BT who updated the group on the plans for Superfast broadband in Shipley, and Dave West from Bradford Council who gave an update on the Canal Rd Masterplan – one of the districts four masterplans. The event also proved to be an opportunity for businesses to network. The next forum is expected to be held later on this year.

A new Bizfizz coach covering rural parts of Airedale has started work to support would-be entrepreneurs. The Bizfizz coach for Bradford Rural, covering Haworth, Oxenhope, Denholme, Steeton and Silsden is Candy Squire-Watt, and she can be contacted on 07507 889391.

A townscape Heritage Officer has been appointed by Bradford Council to work on stage 2 of the Townscape Heritage project bid, due for submission in May 2010. This will lever £2 Million Heritage Lottery Funding into Keighley Town Centre Conservation Area. At the moment, the Councils' Design & Conservation team is working with property owners about building restoration as well as progressing internal consultations on public realm enhancements and the North Street connectivity scheme.

Following the completion of the new Keighley market canopy which was completed in May 2009, a new café has opened in the market. The café is expected to add vitality to the market as well as creating footfall for stall holders including the Bradford Kickstart test traders, who are being supported by Airedale Enterprise Service.